News

I just wanted to take the time to let you all know my current situation.

In December 2012, during tour school, I began experiencing pain in my lower back. I received treatment from the on site physio, and began receiving treatment from the great team at Osteopathy First when I returned home. After four months of various types of treatment including accupuncture and sports therapy I was still struggling with the pain, made worse by the fact I was still trying to compete in a full schedule of tournaments.

Therefore, in April this year I had an MRI scan. The results came back that I had degenerated discs at L4 and L5 with a teardrop protrusion in my disc at L5, S1 due to my vertebrae at L5 being misaligned. At this point, I was told that the best treatment would be rest, and it would get better in time.

A couple of months went by with no improvements, and after discussing my condition with two surgeons I still couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

A chance conversation with my friend Henni Zuel, resulted in me going to see Dr Antoni Jakubowski at the Gonstead Clinic. He is a chiropractor who has over twenty years experience in treating golfers with back problems. During my first appointment with him, I had a 'loading xray' taken of my back (effectively I was stood up). I was then told that I had a dislocated coccyx, and it had probably been that way for most of my life.

In under two months, I went from being unable to sleep or even walk down the stairs without pain to being back on the golf course and back to competing in tournaments. Albeit under Dr Jakubowski's watchful eye and a few painkillers (!). I finally felt a huge improvement and could see a return to pain free living.

Unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago after returning from a tournament in Crete, my pain levels increased once more. The treatment I receive from Dr Jakubowski is brilliant, but the relief from pain doesn't last long enough for me to be able to practice or play tournament golf and I have been left no option but to withdraw from all remaining events this year, including tour school.

Making this decision has been extremely difficult for me. Having competed in just over half of the tournaments on the LETAS playing schedule, I am 27th on the Order of Merit meaning I have earned full playing rights on the LETAS for 2014. To know that I have been struggling with injury all season, and have pretty much been unable to practice, yet have still produced respectable results, is encouraging to say the least. In a way, it made my decision harder. To know that despite the pain, I could still compete and get right up the leaderboard... but the reality that the pain would be too much for me to bear became more and more apparent.

I am now in a position where I am waiting on a date to have a CT guided perineural root infiltration (injection) in my spine, in the hope that this resolve my problems. There is no guarantee that this will work, however, I am now at a point where this is one of the very few remaining options for me.

I would like to take this time to thank every single one of you who have ever supported me and taken the time to check how I am getting on.

Special thanks have to go to my amazing sponsors:

Martin Wild, Matt Judd and the rest of the team at Callaway Golf.

Larry Jackson, Tracy Sanderson and all at Team Loudmouth.

All staff at Brocket Hall Golf Club.

Rob Hill and the rest of the team at Osteopathy First.

Rosey & Peter Wilkerson at Hertford Offset,

and Keith Wood- who has been the best coach I could ever ask for.

I also cannot thank the members of Brocket Hall Golf Club enough for all their support over the years. Special thanks to Grahame Harding, Kay Wardley, Margaret Turner, Jan Leggetter, Lisa Miller, Cathy Black and Helen Giachardi.

To the Ladies European Tour, and the Ladies European Tour Access Series staff - thank you for being so supportive during this difficult time.

To my friends and family; especially Adam and my parents... there are no words that justify my thanks to you, but you all mean the world to me.

The friends I have made while playing this beautiful game, you know who you are but I want to personally thank Tracey Boyes, Hannah Burke, Kelly Tidy, Holly Clyburn, Sara Brown & Derek Radley for always being there. In you all I know I have friends for life.

I truly hope that my next blog update will be letting you all know how great I'm feeling and that my return to playing golf will be imminent, but for now, I'm going to focus all my energy in trying to get better.

As I write this blog entry I am looking out of the window at about 7 inches of snow... got to love a typically British Winter!

Qualifying School didn't go to plan in terms of result, I comfortably made it through to the final qualifying stage, but struggled to find anything on the greens so despite having my 'A' game tee to green, I didn't come away with full playing rights for the LET this year. I will however go into the 'Career Money' category and this will hopefully get me a handful of starts on the main tour, so I am very much looking forward to playing in those events.

In order to fill out my playing schedule, I am going to be playing the LETAS (Ladies European Tour Access Series), the schedule is not yet out but previous years have boasted a full schedule of up to fifteen events around Europe so I will have plenty to play in.

Having hit the golf ball probably the best I ever have done in Morocco, I am very hopeful for the 2013 season.

I have been working very hard on putting with a renowned coach and am currently going through a complete re build. I am very fortunate to have an indoor putting mat which is allowing me to work despite the white stuff outside....!

I am also very pleased to announce that I will be continuing my relationship with Callaway Golf this season, they have been absolutely brilliant with me, supporting me through my injuries last year and allowing me to have complete control over the set up of my bag so thank you so much guys!

I am currently trying to find financial sponsors for the 2013 season so if you think you could be in a position to help, even the smallest amount, it would be great if you could get in touch so I can discuss with you how we can get something in place that will be of benefit to us both. (pro_charlied@hotmail.co.uk)

I'd firstly like to thank those of you who have sent your well wishes to me this year throughout my difficult spell of injury, your support means so much! It was a very long and difficult road back to fitness, but after almost six months I am getting back to my best!

Due to missing 80% of the season, and only competing five times, I am now preparing for a return to Qualifying School in December. This is obviously not an ideal situation, however, I am full of confidence knowing that I have made my way through the gruelling process before, and that I am good enough to compete on tour!

Until then, I will be working extremely hard with my golf coach, my fitness team, and on the mental side of the game to ensure that I prepare to the best of my ability!

I am also very proud to announce that I am now an ambassador for the Jude Brady Foundation and will be carrying their logo on my headwear and golf bag. They do fantastic work in raising awareness of stillbirth and neonatal death, and funds for child related good causes.